- Describe a souvenir you bought You should say:
- What thing it is
- Where bought it
- What it looks like
- And explain why you bought it
I’d like to talk about a hand-crocheted Miffy doll that I bought in Amsterdam last year. I went there with my friend when we were on Easter holiday. I bought it for 25 euros in the gift shop in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Miffy is a small female rabbit in a series of classic storybook drawn and written by famous Dutch artist Dick Bruna. I read Miffy when I was in primary school and like this lovely rabbit from that time.
My Miffy wears a sunflower dress and a yellow hat. Sunflower is also a symbol of the Netherlands because it’s series paintings by a Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. The doll’s clothing is changeable so that I could dress it in different outfits. But the original dresses and hats are expensive, and I decided to make cloth for my Miffy by myself.
As for why I bought it, I am a big fan of van Gogh who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art, and I like Miffy and her friends’ story since I was a little girl. So for the first time I saw this doll in that dress, I knew it belongs to me. Besides, I hear from the shop owner that these toys was made by disabled Vietnam woman at home, and we will donate one euro to this group for every doll we buy. I think it was also a meaningful and great thing to do.
Part 3
1.What souvenirs do people usually bring from tourist attractions?
Tourists usually buy something small and inexpensive souvenirs to evoke their happy memories of a specific place or time. Some souvenirs are sentimental, some are downright silly, but sometimes the story behind the souvenir is better than the object itself. Most of the tourists like to buy ornaments, postcards, shot glasses, fridge magnets and keyrings.
2.Why do people buy souvenirs?
Many people like to talk a little something home with them as a reminder of their travels, something to show for where they have been, something they can use to look back and reminisce about the fantastic experience they had during their holiday. Tourists also tend to take lots of gifts and novelties back home for friends, relatives and work colleagues. It’s a nice way to show you have been thinking of them while you have been away on your vacation.
3.Why do local people sell souvenirs?
Selling souvenirs has been frequently considered a way for communities to benefit economically from tourism, especially in rural or impoverished areas. Besides, most local people sell handmade souvenirs, which is likely one of the best representations of local culture.
4.Is it good that the locals sell things to tourists?
I believe it’s a good idea for locals to sell things to tourists. Governments around the world are using tourism to create an undeniably positive impact on local communities. Just last year, China announced it would move 12 million people out of poverty through tourism development programs that will provide jobs to more people in rural areas.